Apparatus for distributing and leveling pieces or scales of mica or other material.



G. W. JEFFERSON. APPARATUS FOR DISTRIBUTING AND LEVBLING PIECES 0R SCALES OI MIUA .OR OTHER MATERIAL. APPLIOATIOII FILED JULY 29, 100B.

Patnted May 21, 1 912.

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naan v v v I mmab: amen/[207 0. W.-JEPFERSON. I APPARATUSFOR DISTRIBUTING AND. LEVBLING PIECES 0R SGALES 0F MIOA 0R OTHER MATERIAL. nrm'oum'n II LIBD JULY 29, 1908.

Patented May 21,

' 'z SHEETS-SHEET 2.

m 4 ,L 4 4 m 4 L T The support '4fiileveled is pervious to an or other aeritorm UNITED- sures,

PATENT oi FIoE. f

CHAIRLESFW. JEFFERsoN, or SCHENECTADY, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR T0 MICA INSU- LYATOB. COMPANY, on NEW YORK, N. Y., A conromrrrou OF NEW JERSEY.

APPARATUS FOR DISTRIBUTING AND LEVELI NG PIECES OR SCALES OF MTCA OR 1 OTHERMATERIAL. U

To all whom it may concern: 'Be it known that 1, CHARLES V. JE FER- son, a subject of the King of Great Britain,

' and a resident of the city of Schenectady,

5 county of Schenectady, and State of New .York, have invented a new and Improved Apparatus for Distributing and Leveling My invention relates to means for disleces or scales of light materlal,

My invention is particularly adapted for evenly distributing and leveling such scales or pieces upon a substantially horizontal bed or support to any depth or thickness desired,

and so that said distributed and leveled scales, while on said support may be subjected to further treatment.

The object of my invention is to automatically, quickly and by simple means, bring about the above result, no matter-what the quantity of scales or pieces it is desired to distribute and. level.

' embodiment of my invention, in which-- Figure 1 is a vertical section of the ap p'aratus and is taken on the line 1-1 of Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a similar section in the line .3 (),'2--2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a plan of the openwork support for the pieces or scales, as shown 1n the precedmg figures. Fig. a 1s a sectional detail enlarged of a part of said support and one wall of its inclosing shaft, and showing the manner in which the pieces or scales become distributed and leveled.

I Figs. 5 and 6 are detail views of a slight -'modification of the apparatus shown in the -,other figures, Fig. 5, being a section on the line 55 of Fig. (3, and Fig. (i being a sec- -tion on the line 66 of Fig- 5.

- Similar characters represent like parts in all the figures.

for the scales or pieces to be agent. In the drawings, said support 1 is ,of woven form and preferably of comparatively lilliCkWiIBS and havin a wide mesh. The wires 2 (see Fig. 4) should also be thick enough to form an irregular bearing surface I Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed. Jun 29, 1908. Serial a... 446,011.' v

The accompanying drawings show onewith the inlet pipe 11 of an exhaust appafor thescales or pieces, and so that the aeriform agent would act more upon the pieces or scales to distribute and level them, where said agent had a freer. passage, and met with the least resistance.

3 is a. vertical shaft having closed. and preferably air tight walls, and this shaft-is provided with a door 4 at its bottom.

5 is a car, on the top of which is the support 1. This car preferably is in the form of a box, which has two of its opposite sides 6 declining inward, as shown in Fig. 2.

The support 1 rests on slats 7, said slats being only near enough together to keep the support in a substantially horizontal position, and leaving ample space between them for the passage of the aeriform agent.

8 is a pipe extending in the ear 5 above the line of the apex of the sides 6 of said ear, and having one end closed, the other end extending out as at 9 beyond the ear, and through one of the walls of the shaft 3, as shown in Fig. 1. The pipe 8 is provided with a lateral opening or openings 10, and the extension 9 is adapted for connection ratus (not shown), said pipe 11 being provided with a -valve or-eock 12. Any air tight connection between the two pipes 9 and 11 may be used. but I have shown in Fig. 1 a spring connection for said pipes, the end of the pipe 9 springing over the end of the pipe 11.

13 are the wheels of the car 5, which ride onthe rails 14 that extend within the shaft 3 and beyond the samb, so that the car may be readily drawn into the shaft or drawn out of the same.

15 is a hollow drum or cylinder extending across the top of the shaft 3 and provided with longitudinal openings or slots 16 in its periphery. These slots may be formed by separations between longitudinal slats as shown in' the drawings. To the journals 17 of the drum are secured pinions l8, and these pinions engage with and ride upon parallel racks 19 on opposite sides of the shaft'3. This construction provides means by which the drum 15 may be rotated across thetop of the shaft. Any means may Patented May 21, 1912.

.be 'emplo yed for turning said drum, but I have-shown 'in the drawlngs a crank forthis'purpose, secured-to one of thejournals 17 For the convenience of the operator or v operators a platform22flextends around the shaft 3 nearits to'p,so that operator can walk' along saidplatform- 22- and rotate thev 'drum'15-o'ver the top of the shaft. I h'ave also provided a safety railing 23 to theplat .10

form 22. In' order to givesecurity to the walls of the shaft3, side braces .24 are pro vid'edfor said'walls. v I

lVhen my improved method is to be-used for distributing and leveling flakes or thin.

pieces of mica upon a horizontalsupport for further. treatment "of the mica scales, as for example, to unite said distributed and l.ev-,

eled scales in a homogeneousmass'or plate for insulation, the thin scales or .piecesof mica, usually from two inches to threeinches in diameter, are placed in the drum 15.

Any means may be employed for the insertion of said scales or pieces, as for example,

by means of a door 25. This door, of course,

should be closed after, the inse'rtion'of the scales or p-ieces. A predetermined. amount of said scales or pieces which it is required to distribute and level on the horizontal support, should'be placed in the drum". or cylinder 15. The width of the slots .16 in: the drum1 5 permit the scales or pieces of mica to drop out of the drum when it is rotated, and by such'rotationthe scales in 5 the drum are agitated. Theflwidthof the .3

slots 16 may Vary according to the size of the scales or pieces. The car 5 should be. rolled into the shaft 3 as shown in .Figs. 1 and 2, the door 4 closed, and the connection made between the extension 9 of the pipe ,8 and the pipe 11. The support or platform 1 on the top of the car is made of coarse woven wire, the meshes of which arepreferably coarse, say, of the width of about one-quarter to one halftof an inch. This construction will make an irregular upper Y surface caused by the 'undulation of the 4 weaving. of the wires as is clearly shown 1n Fig. 4. The exhaust is then put into operation, causing the air to be sucked down through the shaft 3, through the support 1 and the pipes 8 and 11. During this suction or operation of' the exhaust, the drunr or cylinder 15 isrotatedback .and forth across the top of the shaft 3, and its rotation is continuedv until all the scalesfhave dropped out of the drum. In Figs. 1, 2 and 4 the scales are shown 'at 26 dropping down through the shaft 3 and upon the support 1,

Fig. 1' indicating the mannerin which the scales are distributed and leveled upon said support, wherein it will be seen that Whereever there is a space for the passage of the air, the scales are drawn in greater numbers, and the'se'will be the parts where the greatest positive actionis exerted upon the scales.

By this action the scales be automati pally distributed, and leveledonthe support "for whereverv there "is more. opportunity, for nthe air -to pass through the support 1.. than'l atfother points of the support; there will be fewer scalesf'and more wlll be, drawn there. 4 to cause a continuouslevel surface of scales-f over the support. The. irregular surface of the support 1 will prevent the sc'alesfrom;

entirelyclosing up I the transverse openings of the supportp l, and, therefore, permit a full and completedistribution and leveling of the' scales on the support. After alllthe scales have fallen from-the drum 15v and. been distributed and leveled on the. sup

port 1 asdescribed, theexhaust can be shut offby-closing the valve"l2, the door 4 of the shaft opened, and the car 5 drawn from the shaft with the distributed and leveled scales thereon, as shown in dotted lines 'in Fig. 1;

Instead of the boar with i w a i l sides constituting a car, a similar box 27 .is

secured within the shaft 3 as shown in. Figs. l

5' and '6, the sides of sai box beingbolted or otherwise fastened to a. supporting frame 28.. The suction pipe- 29'is stationary, its

parthaving the closed end and lateral o ens lugs 30 passingthrough; a wallof thes *3Within the box2 7, and provided with .a

valve or, cook '31 outside said, shaft.-;' The slats 7 bearing the support 1, are1 secured to a frame 32 which removably rests-uponthe fixed frame 28, and'said frame is preferably provided with parallel gnide'fways on two-of its opposite sides, enable the support 1, 7 to be slid onto and away. from d'rawal from theshaft of said support. .An

ordinary platform car-35 with itsirailfs 36 the; frame 28, adoor 34 in a'wallfof' the;

shaft permitting the insertion in and with extending to the. side of. the haft-3' (hav- .in'g thedoor 34L) andwith the upper sur face of its platform-37 about on a plane .0

with the guidingsurface of theframef33,

permits-the platform 1 7 beariiigthe'dis- .f

tributed and leveled pieces or. scales of being drawn out from the shaft 3 onto the car 35, and then transported wherever desired.

The application-of my apparatus is not limited to the distribution of mica scales or'pieces, as it maybe used for the distribution and leveling of small light-pieces of other material. Moreover, my invention is not limited to the precise construction shown and described, as it is evident that-- many changes may be made therein Without desire to secure 1 port in said passageway and provided with an -.inlet, and a hollow c linder provided with longitudinal slots in its periphery and extending across and adapted to rotate over [the top of the shaft.

' 3. An apparatus for distributing pieces or scales of mica or other material, comprising a vertical shaft with closed walls, a car for entering said shaft'and a door in'a wall of the shaft for -admitting said car, the top of the car consisting of a platform pervious to an aeriform agent, and an exhaust pipe carried by the car, and-having an inlet opening.

. 4. An apparatus for distributing pieces or scales of mica or other material, comprising a vertical :shaft with closed walls, a car for entering said shaft and a door'ina wall of the shaft for admitting said car, the top of e car consisting of a platform pervious to an aeriform agent, and an exhaust pipe carried by the car, and having an inlet opening,

and. an extension for attachment to an exhaust apparatus.-

. 5. An ap aratus for distributing pieces or scales of name. or other material, comprising a vertical shaft 'with closed walls, a car for entering said shaft and a door in a wall of the shaft for admittingsaid car, the top of the car consisting of aplatform pervious to i an aeriform agent, an exhaust pipe carried by the. car, and having an inlet opening, an

. 'let pi e.

inlet pipe of an exhaust apparatus and means for attaching the car pipe to said in- 6. n apparatus for distributing pieces or scales of mica or other material, comprising a vertical shaft with closed walls, a car for entering said shaft and a door in a wall of the shaft for admitting said car, the top of the car consisting of a platform pervious to an aeriform agent,.an exhaust pipe carried by the car, and having an inlet opening, an inlet pipe of an exhaust apparatus, means for attaching the car pipe to said inlet pipe,

and a valve insaid pipe.- J

7. An apparatus for distributing pieces orscales of mica or other material, comprising a vertical shaft' with closed walls, a latform arranged transversely in said s aft and pervious' to, an aeriform agent, means for supportingsaid platform in said shaft, a doorin the wall of said shaft for permitting the withdrawal of the platform from and the insertion of the same within the shaft, and means for passing an aeriform'agent down through sald shaft and platform.

8. An apparatus for distributing pieces or scales of mica or other material, comprising a vertical shaft with closedwalls, a platform arranged transversely in said shaft and pervious to an aeriformagent, means for supporting saidplatform in said shaft,

and having guide ways forthe same, a door in the wall of said shaft for permittin the withdrawal of the platform from an the insertion of the same within ,the shaft, and

means for passing an aeriform agentrdown through said shaft and platform.

9. In an apparatus for treating and dis.- tri'buting mica scales and the like, a'suitable support on which the scales are to be distributed and a rotatable receptacle forming a hopper for the scales, said rece tacle having slits or oblong openings exten ing longitudinally with its axis through which the? scales are thrown out of the receptacle.

10. In an apparatus-for treating and distributing mica scales and the like, a suitable support. on which the scales are to be distrib- J uted and a rotatable traveling receptacle" forming a hopper for the scales, said recep-' tacle having slits or oblong openings extend-.

ing longitudinally with its axisthrough which the scales are thrown out of the receptac e.

support on which the scales are to be distrib- 11. In an apparatus for treating and distributing mica scales and the like, a suitable upon said support, said means including a movable receptacle for the scales and means for giving said receptacle suitable motion to distribute the scales, said .receptacle having slits or oblong openings through which the scales are thrown out of the receptacle.

12. In an apparatus for treating and distributing mica scales and the like, a suitable sup ort on which the scales are to be distributec means for leveling the scales upon said support by pneumatic pressure, and a slitted receptacle forming a hopper for the scales and means for rotating said rece tacle 'to separate the scales therein and istribute them upon said support.

1."). In an apparatus for treating and distributing mica scales and the like, a-suit-able support on which the scales are to be distributed, means for leveling. the scales u on said support by pneumatic pressure, an means for distributing the scales upon said su port, said means including a slitted movabl receptacle for the scales and means for giv-:

uted, meaq s for leveling the scales upon support v 1m eumzjmoic'press 'ure, and'a rotai" table acle fo i'ming a hopper for the scale i e gptacle beihgslotte'd longitudiname to this specificatiomin the presnc of V tyvo subscribing witnesses," D

CHARLES W. JEFFERSON.

Witnssesr 1 D.,V1' 1DDER CLUTE, ANNA DE GRAFF. 

